Philippine military asks FB to close jihadist accounts

10 Jun 2017 - 1:10

Smoke rises after aerial bombings by Philippine Air Force planes on militant positions in Marawi, on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, yesterday.

AFP

Manila: The Philippine military yesterday asked Facebook to close dozens of accounts linked to militants who attacked a southern city, saying they were being used for propaganda.
Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera said the armed forces' social media unit uncovered 63 Facebook accounts belonging to the jihadists and their supporters.
"These 63 accounts are spreading malicious information and misinformation that affect the information landscape and the mindset of every Filipino," Herrera told a news conference in the southern city of Marawi. The military has asked Facebook Philippines "to conduct necessary measures to take down these fake accounts," Herrera said.
Hundreds of militants waving the black Islamic State (IS) group flag rampaged through Marawi on May 23 and seized parts of the city. They have so far fended off more than two weeks of air and ground assault by government forces.
President Rodrigo Duterte said the attack was part of a wider plot by IS to establish a base in the southern region of Mindanao, and declared martial law there to quell the threat.
Forty government troops and 138 militants, have been confirmed killed due to the fighting, according to Herrera.
About 2,000 people are believed to be trapped in the militant-held areas.